Quote:
Originally Posted by dealme
I don't know what kind of guy Lasorda was, but I've never quite understood why someone would trash a person that just passed, especially in this forum (whether it's Lasorda or one of the other half dozen Hall of Famers we've lost in the last year and change). I think it's a safe assumption that we're all here because we're baseball fans, and each time one of these guys passes, someone on this board is losing something that has likely brought them great joy at some point in their lives. These guys are human and they all have their faults, but at least let their fans do a bit of grieving over the loss of someone that they felt some type of connection to.
Cheers,
Mark
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Great post right there, as well as Irv's post #28. Both so true...
Nobody despised Lasorda more than me. As a teenage Reds fan, I actually hated the man. He was loud, brazen, and loved to hog the spotlight. The type of guy you love if you're a Dodger fan, and hate if you root for the other team.
The Reds and Dodgers had a bitter rivalry in the 70s, as they were always the two best teams in the NL West. You just knew one of them would win the west, and there was no love lost between the two teams. As luck would have it, we lived in the LA area as diehard Reds fans...
It was very difficult to be stranded on that "island", and the Dodgers' man in charge bore the brunt of our resentment. To us, he was nothing more than a loudmouth blowhard spewing his blue propaganda to anyone who would listen.
But (now that I've grown up), I realize what a fighter he was. I remember how he groomed and mentored Orel Hershiser, and gave him the unlikely moniker of "Bulldog". At the time, I thought it was a ridiculous name for a pale, skinny guy, but I'm positive that it helped make him a great pitcher.
Lasorda was truly a positive influence for the Dodgers and for the game of Baseball. A great story teller, a brilliant strategist, a hell of a manager, and a true winner. His passing represents a giant loss for the game, and I can say with the utmost respect, that he was the guy you loved to hate .
RIP Tommy